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by stupidsexymustang
Summary: A moment in the woods between a young Roy and Riza. 7th and final prompt for Royai Week "The Past/Future". Fluff City.


_**A/N This is the last prompt for Royai Week, "The Past/The Future". I chose to concentrate on the past and Roy's hopes for the future. So a bit of a combination. Also, this scene takes place before Master Hawkeye has tattooed Riza's back. Just a heads up. Hope you enjoy!**_

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Once they were outside of Master Hawkeye's house, surrounded by thick trees on all sides, Riza slowed, changing to a leisurely walk. Roy met her pace and they walked down the path. He was a little surprised by her silence. She had burst into his study and asked to speak with him, then had taken off outside without waiting for his answer. He'd had to run to catch up to her. He looked at her face and saw her eyebrows knitted together, a clear look of worry.

"What's going on? You were all energetic while we were inside." Riza shrugged. That stopped Roy in his tracks. He reached out and grabbed her arm, stopping her and turning her toward him.

"Hey, don't shrug me off. You wanted me to come out here. And you NEVER beat around the bush when it comes to your thoughts, especially with me. Now talk. What's wrong?" He crossed his arms and stared her down. Riza stared back, a fire behind her amber eyes.

"You're going to leave, aren't you?"

Roy was taken aback. He dropped both his arms and her gaze, embarrassment showing on his face.

"I...well, I -"

"Don't lie! I always know when you're lying so don't do it!" He met her eyes again. He could see the hurt building up behind the fire. When Roy spoke his voice was soft.

"I am. Riza -" she had turned away at his words, refusing to look at him. He reached out and touched her shoulder. She didn't shrug him off, so he took that as a good sign.

"Riza, you know I can't stay here forever. Your father is refusing to teach me flame alchemy. I need to...I need to figure out how to show him that I can be trusted. I'm going to go back to Central. I need to sort some things out." Riza turned back.

"Why do you have to go all the way back to Central just to figure things out?" Roy ran his hand through his hair.

"I mean...Central's my home. My aunt's there, I want to talk to her, tell her everything that's going on. Maybe she can help." Riza sighed and walked a few steps away, seating herself on a tree stump. Roy walked over to her and sat in front of her on the grass.

"Why are you so upset about this? Come on, you're not gonna miss me that badly." He gave her one of his patented Mustang Smirks. She looked at him and shook her head, doing her best to ignore the charm that was oozing out of him. Instead she focused on a small dandelion growing next to the stump.

"As much as I hate to admit it, Roy, yes I am going to miss you." Roy softened his smirk. She kept talking.

"I mean, I won't miss how messy you are, and how you never do the dishes, and how you constantly fall asleep when you're supposed to be working or how -" Roy groaned.

"Okay, I get it! I'm the worst." Riza looked into his dark eyes again.

"But that's the thing. You're not. Before you came here...our house felt empty. My mother was dead and my father might as well have just died with her. He buried himself in his work and I was basically alone. But then you came, and...you make this falling down house a home." Roy felt like his heart would burst for her. He remembered when he had come here three years ago, how quiet she had been, how withdrawn. It had taken two weeks before she would even say a word to him. Slowly they had gotten to know each other, and he had seen the spirit and fire that lay within Riza Hawkeye. He now realized that he may just be the only person she ever showed that side to. She looked away from again, but he leaned forward and took her chin in his hand, moving her face and eyes back to him. He smiled, a real smile, one meant to comfort.

"I'm going to come back. I still need your father to teach me flame alchemy, after all. I just...I just need a little time. I need to decide what to do. To prove myself." Her eyes softened, and the next words were barely a whisper.

"You shouldn't have to...you already proved yourself. At least...at least to me." He tilted his head, the smile turning a little sheepish.

"Well, if you happen to know the secrets of flame alchemy..." she laughed and shoved him away. He landed on his butt on the ground, but her laughter made it all worth it.

"Can't blame a guy for trying!" Riza sighed and shook her head. She got up from the stump and began walking into the woods again. Roy scrambled to his feet and trotted after her. Once caught up he wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her to him. Riza leaned into the pull, placing her arm over his and completing the hug. His voice was soft as he spoke.

"I promise, I'll be back. Do you really think I could leave you for good?"

Riza didn't know how to answer that. She was only 16, Roy was almost 18 and...and there were so many girls in Central. There had never even really been something solid between the two of them - just a lot of long nights and long stares. Instead of waiting for her answer he continued talking.

"Do you really think I could leave behind the girl who has meant so much to me the past three years? Who is beautiful and strong and refuses to put up with even an ounce of my shit?" Riza laughed and turned her head to look at him.

"There are a lot of girls in Central, Roy." He grinned.

"Yeah, and not one of them is you." Finally, the full smile he had been looking for. Roy leaned in and Riza met him there, their lips connecting in the kiss they had each been wanting to give into for a solid year, probably longer. Riza turned her body so that she was facing him, allowing the kiss to deepen and her arms to wrap around his torso. They stood, surrounded by trees and wildlife, tangled up in each other as the world slowed around them. Finally they broke apart, breathing heavily. Roy rested his forehead against hers and closed his eyes.

"Yeah," he whispered, "I'm never letting go of you."

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The memory of their first kiss was with Roy all day as the hours ticked down to when he'd see her that night. It was the anniversary of that kiss, and the only one they really recognized. Since they weren't officially a couple and had never actually started dating in the first place, the date of the kiss was all they had.

Roy smiled to himself as he recalled holding her to him. Even though they had shared countless kisses since then, the first one was forever etched in his brain. It was far and away his favorite memory of what he considered B.I. and A.I. (Before Ishval and After Ishval, the way he separated his two very distinct pasts in his mind) and he was grateful that Riza enjoyed celebrating the anniversary of that day with him. He was to meet her at her apartment that night under the pretense of taking extra work home. She was probably starting on dinner right now, actually.

A couple walking in the park caught Roy's attention. They were older, probably in their 70s, and they were holding hands as they walked, a dog trotting at their side. The man had a twinkle in his eye as he leaned over and kissed his wife on the cheek. Roy smiled. He so desperately wanted that to be his and Riza's future. Marrying, growing old, a dog, kids...at least they had the dog. Roy knew their future was uncertain. Knew that it was dangerous, and knew that it was all his fault for making it that way. Riza had promised to follow him, no matter what the future held. He knew that that vow meant as much to her as any that were exchanged during marriage. Their future was unclear, but it did have a goal. For Roy to be Fuhrer, where hopefully she would join him as his First Lady. It was a long ways off, he knew, but it was all he had.

'No,' Roy thought. 'I have her. No matter what happens, no matter where I go. I have her.' Riza Hawkeye was his past, his present, and his future, and she was also his home. He stood up and began walking out of the park, in the direction of his home, where Riza Hawkeye waited to celebrate their life together.

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 _And that's that! Fluff City, as always. Please favorite and review!_


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